Self-locking chambers for magazine speed loaders

ABSTRACT

Self-locking chambers for magazine speed loaders is disclosed. A self-locking chamber features a chamber, comprising of two parallel walls, that engages with an alignment wall and a locking block, the alignment wall and the locking block configured to work in conjunction with one another in restraining the lateral mobility of cartridges placed in between them. Cartridges positioned in between the two parallel walls and in between the locking block and the alignment wall are restrained from lateral movement and serve to restrain the lateral mobility of the chamber, hence locking the chamber in linear alignment with a feed opening of a magazine that is coupled adjacent to the locking block and alignment wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of ammunition speed loaders for firearms magazines and more particularly relates to a chamber locking system for magazine speed loaders.

2. Description of the Related Art

Most ammunition speed loading devices for rifle magazines work on a system of stacking multiple ammunition cartridges into a single file within a chamber, aligning that chamber with the feed opening of a magazine, urging the cartridges in the chamber against an opposing force exerted by the spring of the magazine, overcoming that opposing force and further urging the cartridges into the magazine. The flaw with this system is that if a chamber is not maintained in fixed alignment with a magazine feed opening, the force applied in overcoming the opposing force of a magazine spring is often deteriorated while being transferred through a file of cartridges to a magazine spring. This is because force applied onto an a file of cartridges that is not structurally reinforced on two widthwise sides, such as a file of cartridges in an unfixed chamber, has a tendency to be vectored away from its original direction of urging by the cartridges of the file, which have an inclination to slide off from one another while in a file configuration due to their circular shape.

Therefore, in an attempt to conserve the utility of the force applied through cartridges to overcome a magazine spring, speed loaders are designed with a feature that locks a chamber in alignment with a feed opening of a magazine, so that a file of cartridges within a chamber is constantly reinforced on two widthwise sides up to the point where the chamber meets the magazine feed opening. This allows a chamber to constantly maintain its cartridges in a file, thus allowing force that is applied onto the cartridges to directly transfer through the cartridge file, in a linear manner, to a magazine spring with minimal force lost from being re-vectored through the cartridges. Hence, with locked chambers, the overall force required to load cartridges into a magazine is relatively equal to the force required to overcome the opposing force of a magazine spring.

Though prior art discloses a means for permanently locking a single chamber in alignment with a magazine feed opening, prior art does not provide a means for successively and temporarily locking a series of chambers in alignment with a magazine feed opening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the absence of known designs or methods for successively locking multiple chambers into alignment with a magazine feed opening coupled relative to the multiple chambers, it is the intent of the present invention to provide self locking chambers that can lock and subsequently unlock from alignment with a magazine feed opening so that successive chambers, as part of a system, can align and lock into alignment with a magazine feed opening.

To accomplish this objective, self locking chambers, in their preferred embodiment, comprise a first elongated wall that is comprised of a front face and a back face. The front face perpendicularly extends three parallel partition walls that are parallel with the length of the first elongated wall. These partition walls run the entire length of the first elongated wall and are spaced apart from one another by a distance equal to the width of one cartridge. These cartridge wide spacings, defined as chambers, are configured to host ammunition cartridges. The first elongated wall also defines a cut out at a short edge of the first elongated that runs a portion of the width of the short edge. The cut out also runs along a long edge of the first elongated wall for a portion of the long edge length. The cut out also runs from the back face of the first elongated wall, through the elongated wall, into a portion of the partition walls. The back face is slideably engaged with a face of a second elongated wall. The face of the second elongated wall perpendicularly extends an alignment wall at a long edge and perpendicularly extends a locking block at a short edge. The locking block is sized to engage within the cut out of the first elongated wall and is distanced away the alignment wall by a measurement equal to the width of a cartridge. The locking block, the alignment wall and the front face of the first elongated wall collectively define the space commonly bordered by each of these entities as a cartridge wide channel. A first chamber of the first elongated wall is linearly aligned with the cartridge wide channel, while simultaneously overlapping the channel, and a first partition wall bordering the first chamber is engaged within an opening defined by the partition wall. An ammunition magazine is coupled relative to the cartridge wide channel in such a manner that a magazine feed opening defined by the magazine is linearly aligned with the channel. Ammunition cartridges are positioned in both chambers of the first elongated wall. Some cartridges positioned in the first chamber and are simultaneously positioned within the cartridge wide channel between the locking block and alignment wall, where they are restrained from moving laterally, or perpendicularly to the length of the channel, by the locking block and the alignment wall. As a result, the partition walls bordering the first chamber, which encapsulate the restrained cartridges on two sides, are restrained from moving laterally by the restrained cartridges. Consequently, this locks the first chamber in linear alignment with the cartridge wide channel and the magazine feed opening. Each cartridge in the first chamber that is not positioned within the cartridge wide channel is successively and sequentially urged into the channel, where it urges the cartridges already in the channel from the channel and first chamber into the magazine feed opening. While each cartridge passes through the channel, it becomes restrained from moving laterally by the locking block and alignment wall and, as a result, maintains the partition walls bordering the first chamber restrained from moving laterally as well. Hence, the first chamber remains locked in alignment with the cartridge wide channel and magazine feed opening as long as there are cartridges within the channel. Once cartridges have been successively urged into the channel, they are further successively urged into the magazine feed opening until all cartridges in the first chamber have been urged from the first chamber. Once the first chamber has been cleared of cartridges, the second chamber is aligned with the cartridge wide channel and magazine feed opening. The cartridges in the second chamber are successively urged into the cartridge wide channel and then subsequently successively urged into the magazine feed opening.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is an angled side view of the preferred embodiment of the sliding wall and support wall;

FIG. 2 is an angled side view of the preferred embodiment of the sliding wall and support wall aggregated into one unit;

FIG. 3A is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the sliding wall and support wall, aggregated, coupled with a magazine and supporting ammunition cartridges positioned in the two chambers;

FIG. 3B is a top cross section view FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a side cross section view of cartridges in the proximal chamber urged through the channel, between the locking block and the partition wall, into the magazine feed opening;

FIG. 5 is a top cross section view of the distal chamber linearly aligned with the magazine feed opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In reference to the example embodiments shown in FIG. 1, self locking chambers 100 comprise an elongated sliding wall 101, which is comprised of a proximal face 102 and a distal face 103. The sliding wall proximal face 102 perpendicularly extends three parallel partition walls 104, 105, 106. In one embodiment, the partition walls 104, 105, 106 extend perpendicularly out from the proximal face 102 for a distance equal to approximately half the length of a cartridge 300. A proximal partition wall 104 is extended at one long edge of the proximal face 102, a distal partition wall 106 is extended at a second long edge of the proximal face 102, which lies opposite to the long edge of the proximal partition wall 104, and a center partition wall 105 is extended at a location on the proximal face 102 that lies between the proximal and distal partition walls 104, 106. The partition walls 104, 105, 106, are parallel with the long edges of the proximal face 102 and run across the entire length of the sliding wall 101.

The multiple gaps between each of the individual partition walls 104, 105, 106 are defined as chambers 107, 108. The chamber 107 between the proximal partition wall 104 and the center partition wall 105 is more specifically defined as the proximal chamber 107 and the chamber 108 between the center partition wall 105 and distal partition wall 106 is more specifically defined as the distal chamber 108. In one embodiment, the width of each chamber 107, 108 is equal to the width of a cartridge 300.

The sliding wall 101 defines a cut out 109 that runs from the proximal chamber 107 to the distal partition wall 106 on one axis, from a proximal short edge 110 of the proximal face 102 toward a distal short edge 111 for a portion of the length of the sliding wall 101 on a second axis, and from the sliding wall distal face 103, through the sliding wall 101, into the center and distal partition walls 105, 106 for a portion of the height of the center and distal partition walls 105, 106 on a third axis. In one embodiment, the portion of the length of the sliding wall 101 run through by the cut out 109 on the second axis is equal to the width of two cartridges 300. In one embodiment, the cut out 109 runs along the length of the sliding wall 101 on the second axis for the entire length of the sliding wall 101. In one embodiment, the portion of the height of the central and distal partition walls 105, 106 run through by the cut out 109 on the third axis is equal to approximately one fifth of the length of a cartridge 300.

The self locking chambers 100 further comprises of an elongated support wall 112, which is comprised of a front face 113. The front face 113 defines a bottom short edge 114, a top short edge 115, a right long edge 116 and a left long edge 117. The support wall front face 113 perpendicularly extends an alignment wall 118 at the right long edge 116 that runs the length of the right long edge 116. In one embodiment, the alignment wall 118 extends from the front face 113 at the left long edge 117. The alignment wall 118 defines a pass through space 119 sized to allow the partition walls 114, 115, 116 passage through the alignment wall 118.

The front face 113 perpendicularly extends a locking block 120 at the bottom short edge 114 that runs from the left long edge 117 toward the alignment wall 118 for a portion of the width of the bottom short edge 114. In one embodiment, the distance of space between the locking block 120 and the alignment wall 118 is equal to the width of a cartridge 300. The locking block 120 extends from the bottom short edge 114 and runs along the left long edge 117 for a portion of the length of the left long edge 117. In one embodiment, the portion of the length of the left long edge 117 run by the locking block 120 is equal to the width of two cartridges 300. In one embodiment, the locking block 120 runs along the left long edge 117 for the entire length of the left long edge 117. The locking block 120 extends perpendicularly from the elongated support wall front face 113 for a limited height. In one embodiment, this height is equal to the thickness of the sliding wall 101 combined with one fifth of the length of a cartridge 300.

The front face 113 defines a raised area 121 between the locking block 120 and the alignment wall 118 that extends perpendicularly from the front face 113 for a distance equal to the thickness of the sliding wall 101. The raised area 121 extends from the bottom short edge 114 and runs along the length of the support wall 112 for a distance equal to the length of distance run by the locking block 120 along the left long edge 117.

The locking block 120, the alignment wall 118, and the raised area 121 collectively define the common area bordered by each of these entities as a cartridge wide channel 122. The cartridge wide channel 122 is sized to allow the passage of cartridges 300 between the locking block 120 and the alignment wall 118 and is configured to interface with a magazine feed opening 201. The cartridge wide channel 122 is further configured to successively align with each sliding wall chamber 107, 108 in a manner that allows cartridges 300 positioned in each chamber 107, 108 a linear path through the channel 122 to a magazine feed opening 201 coupled relative to the channel 122.

In reference to the example embodiments shown in FIG. 2, the sliding wall distal face 103 is slideably engaged with the support wall front face 113 in such a manner that the partition walls 104, 105, 106 align with the alignment wall 118 in a parallel manner. The sliding wall 101 and the proximal partition wall 104 are engaged within the alignment wall pass through space 119 and the sliding wall proximal chamber 107 is linearly aligned with the cartridge wide channel 122. While linearly aligned with the cartridge wide channel 122, the proximal chamber 107 overlaps the channel 122 in such a manner that cartridges 300 positioned in the channel 122 are simultaneously positioned within the proximal chamber 107. The support wall locking block 120 is slideably engaged within the sliding wall cut out 109 and tangent with the distal chamber 108.

In reference to the example embodiments shown in FIG. 3A and 3B, an ammunition magazine 200, comprising of a feed opening 201, is coupled relative to the cartridge wide channel 122 in such a manner that the feed opening 201 is in linear alignment with the channel 122.

Ammunition cartridges 300 are positioned in the chambers 107, 108 in such a manner that the lengths of cartridges 300 are oriented perpendicular to the length of the sliding wall 101. In one embodiment, cartridges 300 are placed into the chambers pointing away from the sliding wall proximal face 102. Cartridges 300 positioned in the proximal chamber 107 are supported by either the sliding wall proximal face 102 or the raised area 121 while cartridges 300 positioned in the distal chamber 108 are supported either by the sliding wall proximal face 102 or the locking block 120. In one embodiment, the support of all of the cartridges 300 positioned in the distal chamber 108 is placed on the locking block 120. The cartridges 300 positioned in the proximal chamber 107 and supported by the raised area 121, in the cartridge wide channel 122, are restricted from moving laterally, or perpendicularly to the length of the channel 122, by the locking block 120 and the alignment wall 118. As a result, the proximal and center partition walls 104, 105, which encapsulate the restricted cartridges 300 on two sides, are likewise restrained from moving laterally, consequently locking the proximal chamber 107 in linear alignment with the cartridge wide channel 122 and the magazine feed opening 201.

In reference to the example embodiments shown in FIG. 4, cartridges 300 in the proximal chamber 107, supported by the sliding wall proximal face 102, are successively urged from the proximal face 102 onto the raised area 121, in the cartridge wide channel 122, where they urge the cartridges 300 already in the cartridge wide channel 122 from the channel 122 and the proximal chamber 107 into the magazine feed opening 201. Each successive cartridge 300 urged into the channel 122, between the locking block 120 and alignment wall 118, restrains the proximal and center partition walls 105, 106 from moving laterally and maintains the proximal chamber 107 locked in alignment with the cartridge wide channel 122. Each cartridge 300 successively urged into the cartridge wide channel 122 is then further urged from the proximal chamber 107 into the magazine feed opening 201 until all cartridges 300 in the proximal chamber 107 are urged into the magazine feed opening 201.

In reference to the example embodiments shown in FIG. 5, following the clearing of cartridges 300 from the proximal chamber 107, the sliding wall 101 is further translated laterally across the support wall 112 toward the alignment wall 118 and further engaged within the pass through space 119 until the center partition wall 105 becomes engaged within the pass through space 119 and the distal chamber 108 becomes linearly aligned with the cartridge wide channel 122. While linearly aligned with the cartridge wide channel 122, the distal chamber 108 overlaps the channel 122 in such a manner that cartridges 300 positioned in the channel 122 are simultaneously positioned within the distal chamber 108. The alignment of the distal chamber 108 with the cartridge wide channel 122 causes the distal partition wall 106 to urge cartridges 300 supported by the locking block 120, in the distal chamber 108, from the locking block 120 onto the raised area 121. In one embodiment, all cartridges 300 in the distal chamber 108 are supported by the sliding wall proximal face 102, and the alignment of the distal chamber 108 with the cartridge wide channel 122 causes cartridges 300 in the distal channel 108 to shift onto the raised area 121 by urging of the force of gravity.

The cartridges 300 of the distal chamber 108, which have been positioned on the raised area 121, in the channel 122, are restrained from moving laterally by the locking block 120 and the alignment wall 118. The center and distal partition walls 105, 106, which encapsulate the restrained cartridges 300 on two sides, are restricted from moving laterally by the restrained cartridges 300, hence locking the distal chamber 108 in linear alignment with the cartridge wide channel 122. The cartridges 300 in the distal chamber 108, not supported by the raised area 121, are successively urged onto the raised area 121, in the cartridge wide channel 122, where they urges the cartridges 300 already in the channel 122 into the magazine feed opening 201 while maintaining the distal chamber 108 locked in linear alignment with the cartridge wide channel 122 and magazine feed opening 201. Each cartridge 300 passed into the cartridge wide channel 122 is then further urged from the distal chamber 108 into the magazine feed opening 201 until all cartridges 300 in the distal chamber 108 are urged into the magazine feed opening 201. 

1. Self-locking chambers for speed loaders, the self locking chambers comprising; a receiving surface positioned to receive and support cartridges, the receiving surface having a length and a width; an alignment wall extending from a long edge of the receiving surface along the length of the receiving surface; a locking block extending from a short edge of the receiving surface along a portion of the width and extending along a long edge of the receiving surface for a portion of the length, wherein the locking block is spaced away from the alignment wall such that the locking block, the alignment wall, and the receiving surface collectively define a channel that is sized to permit cartridges to slide from the receiving surface, between the locking block and alignment wall, into a magazine that is positioned adjacent to the channel, and wherein the locking block, working in conjunction with the alignment wall, is configured to restrain cartridges from moving laterally while positioned in the channel; and multiple spaced-apart partition walls operatively coupled relative to the receiving surface, wherein the partition walls are parallel to the alignment wall, wherein each partition wall defines a cut out that is sized to receive the locking block, wherein the partition walls are configured to facilitate receipt of multiple rows of cartridges onto the receiving surface and host received cartridges in areas of space between each of the partition walls defined as chambers, wherein the partition walls are configured to translate laterally relative to the receiving surface toward the alignment wall for the successive alignment of each chamber with the channel, and wherein during each chamber's successive alignment with the channel, the partition walls that border each successively aligned chamber are configured to be locked from lateral movement by the cartridges of each successively aligned chamber that are urged into the channel and restrained from lateral movement by the locking block and the alignment wall.
 2. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein there are three spaced-apart partition walls and two chambers.
 3. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein lateral movement is defined as movement that is parallel with the axis of the width of the receiving surface.
 4. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein each chamber is configured to host and maintain cartridges in a file configuration.
 5. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the multiple spaced-apart partition walls move in tandem with one another.
 6. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the multiple spaced-apart partition walls collectively define a perpendicular wall that couples with each partition wall and extends along the portion of the lengths of the partition walls that is not encompassed by the cut outs.
 7. The self-locking chambers of claim 6, wherein the perpendicular wall is configured to operatively couple relative to the receiving surface, translate laterally across the receiving surface in tandem with the partition walls, receive cartridges and support cartridges.
 8. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the locking block is engaged within the cut outs of the partition walls and is configured to operatively couple relative to the partition walls.
 9. The self-locking chambers of claim 8, wherein the partition walls translate laterally across the locking block.
 10. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the alignment wall defines a passage opening sized to receive the partition walls.
 11. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the locking block extends along a portion of the length of the long edge that is equal to the width of two cartridges.
 12. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the locking block extends along the entire length of the long edge.
 13. The self-locking chambers of claim 1, wherein the chambers, while linearly aligned with the channel, are configured to overlap the channel in such a manner that cartridges positioned in the channel are simultaneously positioned within a chamber that is immediately aligned with the channel.
 14. A method for locking chambers in linear alignment with a magazine feed opening, the method comprising; providing the self locking chambers of claim 1; positioning a magazine feed opening relative to the channel in such a manner as to align the magazine feed opening linearly with the channel; positioning multiple rows of cartridges onto the receiving surface in such a manner that one row of cartridges is positioned into each chamber; following the positioning of cartridges into the chambers, translating the partition walls laterally relative to the receiving surface toward the alignment wall until a first chamber becomes linearly aligned with the channel; following the alignment of a first chamber with the channel, pivoting the weight of the partition walls in such a manner as to urge the first chamber against the alignment wall and maintain the first chamber locked in linear alignment with the channel with the weight of the partition walls; while maintaining the first chamber locked in linear alignment with the channel, urging the cartridges in the first chamber through the channel and into the magazine feed opening; and following the loading of the first chamber, successively translating the remaining cartridge bearing chambers into alignment with the channel and magazine feed opening, locking each successively aligned chamber from translating laterally relative to the channel, and loading the cartridges within each successively aligned chamber into the magazine feed opening.
 15. A method for locking chambers in linear alignment with a magazine feed opening, the method comprising; providing the self locking chambers of claim 1; positioning a magazine feed opening relative to the channel in such a manner as to align the magazine feed opening linearly with the channel; positioning multiple rows of cartridges onto the receiving surface in such a manner that one row of cartridges is positioned into each chamber; following the positioning of cartridges into the chambers, translating the partition walls laterally relative to the receiving surface toward the alignment wall until a first chamber becomes linearly aligned with the channel; following the alignment of a first chamber with the channel, locking the chamber from lateral movement relative to the channel by urging the first cartridges in the chamber, that are of closest proximity to the channel, into the channel, between the locking block and the alignment wall; following the locking of the first chamber, successively urging the other cartridges in the chamber through the channel, between the locking block and alignment wall, and out from the chamber into the magazine feed opening, subsequently urging the cartridges already in the channel out from the channel and chamber into the magazine feed opening while maintaining the chamber locked in alignment with the channel with each successive cartridge that is passed between the locking block and alignment wall; and following the loading of the first chamber, successively translating the remaining cartridge bearing chambers into alignment with the channel and magazine feed opening, locking each successively aligned chamber from translating laterally relative to the channel, and loading the cartridges within each successively aligned chamber into the magazine feed opening.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the rows of cartridges positioned in each chamber besides the first are supported by the locking block.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein upon the successive alignment of each chamber with the channel, partition walls bordering each successively aligned chamber urge the cartridges of each successively aligned chamber from the support of the locking block to the support of the receiving surface and the channel.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein upon the successive alignment of each chamber with the channel, a partition wall bordering each successively aligned chamber is translated laterally into engagement within the passage opening of the alignment wall.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein following the successive alignment of each chamber with the channel, the cartridges in the each successively aligned chamber are urged into the channel, between the locking block and the alignment wall, by force of gravity.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein following the successive alignment of each chamber with the channel, the cartridges in the each successively aligned chamber are urged into the channel, between the locking block and the alignment wall, by a rod. 